Manifestation of the Factor of Regional Median Position

Abstract

The article summarises theoretical approaches to determining the median regions, their place and rolein the territorial structure of the country and its socio-economic development. The basis of the approach proposedis multiple descriptions of a set of attributes, connections, and relationships, a holistic view of the region as arelatively stable part of the socio-economic space. To conduct an empirical study in Russia, 32 regions wereselected, attributed to the category of the median regions by their geographical position. According to theapproach, the list of verifiable median characteristics of the regions includes transit, polystructurality, scale,resource availability, gravity, population concentration, the role in ensuring national security, budget donation,the “pilot” character, the concentration of intellectual potential, low risks, high investment and innovationpotential, high contact with neighbouring territories, and clustering. The results of the study suggest that thecumulative effect of the regional median position has a significant differentiation. Therefore, the authors candistinguish such types of median regions as integrators of the economic space, sustainable median regions, anddeveloping median regions. Based on the topological attributes of median regions, the mission of median regionsis justified. It is substantiated that the factor of the medianness of the region can be of key importance in regionalpolicy only if this resource is used correctly in program activities, regional development strategies and regionalpolicy of the state.